Man charged with smashing dozens of windows at Bethlehem church

A 20-year-old man is charged with breaking dozens of windows of a Bethlehem church and three church vehicles early Monday.

Jordan A. Chavez of Bethlehem told police he was upset with his cousin around 1:30 a.m. Monday and was driving by the Central Assembly of God church on Eaton Avenue when he decided to smash the windows, according to court records.

A day care worker at the church discovered the damage Monday morning.

Bethlehem police said the church, at 1300 Eaton Ave., had 25 broken windows, some of them stained glass. Four glass doors also were smashed, police said.

A yellow school bus had four rear windows and 15 passenger windows smashed. Another, smaller bus had damage to four driver's-side windows, a driver's-side mirror, a rear window, four passenger-side windows and the windshield. A third vehicle had a smashed passenger-side front mirror and side window.

About 8:45 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the 2100 block of West Union Boulevard because someone wanted to talk about the church damage. Police met with Chavez, and he twice admitted, "I did it," according to court records.

He told police he was very angry that night and wanted to fight his cousin, according to court records. After not being able to find his cousin, he took out his anger at the church, he told police.

Chavez, of the 2200 block of West Union Boulevard, was charged with institutional vandalism. He was arraigned by District Judge David M. Howells Jr. and sent to Lehigh County Jail under $8,000 bail.